MAY1979

44 minutes ago, wombat said:

What do you think about these?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Diamond-CGC-Magazine-Mylar-Bags-Extras-Dazzling-CGC-Magazine-Bags-/202829549101

 

 

 

No mention of Mylar size and a magazine is not shown. Unless the seller is having custom made mylar sleeves manufactured nothing from egerber, cole or bcw is closer than the egerber 1114M2

I use 1114M2 but they have too much excess even on thicker CGC magazine slabs.  I do wish there was better fitting alternative.

I've also seen a video where the person gave a glowing review of the CGC graded cards, then a case opened (came apart on it's own) and the card fell out. Sure of course that could have been faked, but the guy even after that occurred was playing up CGC like he was a stakeholder

IMHO it's an auspicious start and one that may put CGC in no win situations in the court of public perception. 

Seems like with proper Quality Assurance/Control and testing this could have been avoided. As I recall and have read for comics CGC conducted extensive testing that took a year or more pre-2000.  Was that done with cards? If yes then how was all this missed or did something change on the Production front at last moment. If that did occur then why was that not QA tested? If it occurred without their knowledge that just as great of a concern. As mentioned a no-win situation that this occurred.

While I'm not a big fan of Beckett, nor an avid supported of either SGC or PSA  in the realm of buyer opinion based on eBay and auction house sales, PSA remains on solid ground (for better or worse).  CGC will be grading Sports Cards soon --  I mean no offense but if I am sending Sports cards in, even if wait is longer, from a purely fiscal perspective at this point in time it is foolish not to use PSA (or SGC for pre-war non-mainstream cards as they are better at detecting restoration and counterfeits on ancient obscure stuff)

I do still have great hope, CGC will be in Cards what they are to Comics. Sadly now it appears PSA's reign and Stockholm Syndrome type hold among collectors (including myself?) will persist for the foreseeable future.

P.S. here is the "How to spot TAMPERED CGC Trading Cards Cases"

Mad Mystery Record Rules!

It's a great big, beautiful, wonderful, incredible, super-spectacular day
And your heart is humming with good times coming
And you got that happy feeling things are going your way
All the bells are ringing and a little bird's singing while he sits on your windowsill
Singing yessiree, I can surely see, it will plainly be, most definitely
A super-spectacular day! Untilllllllll...

Your sister pours glue in her hair and blames you
And your neighbor says that you're abusing her cat
And you just left the john with the water turned on
And the house gets all wet and your mother's upset
And you'd die if you knew what your dad's gonna do
And your python gets loose and you know it's no use
And you cry there in fear and it's now very clear...
That it's not such a super-spectacular day!

For many DC Comics went Bye Bye on Sept 1, 2011. Stabbed 52 times by Didio, Lee, and playing the role of Judas, Geoff Johns

While doing some personal inventory type items this weekend. I discovered I have a CGC book graded last century that is missing the page quality notation and information (White Pages, Off-White to White pages, etc).

I did a cert lookup and found "Page Quality" notation and info is missing from there as well.

Any ideas?

https://www.cgccomics.com/certlookup/0000043015/

CGC Cert #

0000043015

Title

Wonder Woman

Art Comments

Mike Sekowsky & H.G. Peter story
H.G. Peter art
Mike Sekowsky & Giordano cover/art

Key Comments

Unpublished Golden Age story.
Cheetah appearance.
Bondage cover.

Rudolph re-united with some of the "Vane family".

Great Sheldon Meyer cover! Brings me back to the XMAS 1979. After 2 decades of fruitless searching, never figured I'd ever find this one in high-grade especially after missing out on it when Vane was selling. I'm very fortunate to have received a 2nd chance.

Another 'Vane family reunion"

Congrats electricprune.

Covers to #1 and #5 I remember very very well from my young years and are my favorites from the run.

I liked the 1st two years of the book, but seemed like every issue Chase/Vigilante was getting his a** severally kicked.  The Moore issue really showcased that.

While I stayed with the book to the end the last 25 or issues even then I found uninteresting.

On 9/27/2020 at 12:05 PM, letsgrumble said:

I’m a run collector of many Marvel and DC mainstream titles.

With comic conventions cancelled this year, I’ve really missed digging through the bins. And with many years of doing this under my belt, I can readily see which titles are the slow movers that even I would pass over. Or which titles I am dumbfounded sitting in a bargain bin at a dollar. 

There are so many titles I would classify as bottom-tier, bargain-bin books that they need to be further classified into separate tiers. And these examples have to be restricted to Marvel and DC bronze to copper-age otherwise I'd be listing thousands of titles. So here goes:

TIER I – ABSOLUTE DREK: Titles devoid of collectability.

Examples:
All-Star Squadron (1981)
Arak: Son of Thunder (1981)
Phantom Stranger (1969)
Warlord (1976)
John Carter, Warlord of Mars (1977)
Power Man & Iron Fist (1974)
Sleepwalker (1991)
Wonder Man (1991)
X-Factor (1986)

TIER II – DREK SOME PEOPLE LOVE: Titles that would be devoid of collectability if it weren’t for some of you odd fellows out there.

Amethyst (1983, 1985)
Kamandi (1972)
Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1976)
Alpha Flight (1983) 
Cable (1993)
Cloak and Dagger (1985, 1990)
Darkhawk (1990)

TIER III – SO, WHOS ACTUALLY BUYING THESE BOOKS? Titles we assume as collectable but sit unsold in bargain bins.

Superman (1939), post-200 issues
Marvel Comics Presents (1988)
Mighty Thor (1966), post-200 issues
World's Finest Comics (1941)

TIER IV – THE HARD TRUTH: Titles that are and will be regular run-of-the-mill bargain bin fodder until further notice.

New Teen Titans (1980)
Avengers (1963), post-200 issues
Daredevil (1964) yes, even the Frank Miller issues
Defenders (1972) 
Doctor Strange (1974)
Hulk (1968), post-200 issues excluding McFarlane
Invaders (1975)
Iron Man (1968)
Ka-Zar (1974)
Marvel Team-Up (1970)
Marvel Two-In-One (1972)
New Mutants (1983)
West Coast Avengers (1985)

TIER V – FLICKER OF HOPE: Titles, commonly found in bargain bins, now showing some life or renewed interest.

DC Comics Presents (1978)
Avengers (1963)
Conan the Barbarian (1970)
Eternals (1985)
Fantastic Four (1961), post-200 issues
Marvel Fanfare (1982)
Marvel Tales (1964)
Master of Kung-Fu (1974)
Moon Knight (1980)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner (1968)
Sensational She-Hulk (1989)
Wolverine (1988)

TIER VI – IT’S GOLD JERRY, GOLD: Titles that have graduated out of the bargain bin and into the sanctity of collections.

The Flash (1959, 1987) late bronze to copper
Wonder Woman (1942, 1987) late bronze to copper
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) later post-McFarlane issues no longer considered drek.
Captain America (1968)
Eternals (1976)
Ms. Marvel (1977)
Uncanny X-Men (1963) post-Byrne to issue 300

Disclaimer: I’m pulling all of this out of my . I have no credibility and write this with my own personal bias. I've also rushed this list so I can get ready for today’s NFL football games.
 

Have to disagree with All-Star Squadron (1981) - Tier II at least. The fans of the series are hardcore although not Legion hardcore. In the original art world collectors fight like rabid dogs after even routine pages from the  Buckler/Ordway issues

Personally I'd rather have a higher grade number if the difference in page quality is minor and as at pointed out above PQ can be a bit random with re-slabbed/resubmitted books sometimes going up a notch!

Example: I prefer a 9.6ow/w over 9.4w, but would probably take a 9.4w over a 9.6cream/ow.  I would however take 9.8ow over a 9.6w any day. Of course a 9.8w is preferred every single time.

I do know collectors who feel different, preferring a 9.4w over a 9.6ow/w. Also from my interactions there is at least 1 "high grade comics" dealer I believe is of that opinion.

Re-united another of Vane's DC Digests back with some of it's siblings recently.

Also thought I'd toss in what is  my favorite Doom Patrol cover and one of my top 5 favorite George Perez covers. Elasti-Girl (later Elasti-Woman) never looked better.

Again thanks to Vane for all his tireless efforts years back, I'm just someone who was lucky enough to have purchased them from him (or others).

On 6/4/2020 at 5:45 PM, Ken Aldred said:

Someone I believe really is underrated is Keith Pollard, who did superb work on Thor's Eternals and Ragnarok / Ring Cycle Saga.

Plus his 1978-81 work on Thor and as regular penciller on the Fantastic Four and Amazing-Spider-Man.

On 5/29/2020 at 6:02 PM, christosgage said:

I'm sure everyone knows about the house fire at Len Wein's house that destroyed some original art...many people thought that included the cover to Giant Size X-Men #1 but luckily that was not the case. Erik Larsen had a similar fire that burned up a lot of his art, I think. And for D&D art collectors, Erol Otus lost a ton of TSR art to a flood.

Rumor was it also contained complete interiors to Hulk 181 or was that later dispelled?

On 5/3/2012 at 9:22 AM, vane said:

I acquired this book from BobCat (ebay seller) some years ago. I recently got it graded some time late last year. I particularly like this book because if it's patriotism.

 

You'll notice Earth-2 Batman is the architect.

 

 

 

 

 

Not only one of my favorite Digests, but one of my favorite George Perez covers.  I'm proud to be the current custodian of this book Thanks again Vane for your digest efforts!

Folks Christos and I communicated on side; for now I prefer to not reveal the issue number of the cover I got from him all those years ago. Please do know it was not #13.

These days collecting-wise I'm mostly focused on obtaining graded books due to being pretty much priced out of art market.  No plans in selling any of my art before retirement and when that comes even then it will be a slow drip.

My opinions for Marvel Godzilla art commanding higher prices than one might think:

1) There are non-CAF, Godzilla collectors that actively seek Marvel Godzilla art specifically splashes and covers.   I received an offer from one of them about 6 years back that was too good to turn down.

2) Nearly every single piece of Marvel Godzilla art at one point came from "The Brothers" - since I've nothing nice to say about that situation, I won't.

3) Still Growing fan base for a multi-culture pop icon

4) Godzilla collectors tend not to give up items from their collection. Good pages from the series do not come up frequently.

5) In recent times 9.8's from the title have also seen price jumps in auction

I also feel the Pages and Covers that have the FF and Avengers on them  are a double-threat of Pop-Culture goodness. Then there are several pages from the last 2 issue that have Avengers, FF and Godzilla for a mind shattering triple threat of Pop Culture imagery.

I am fortunate to own several display type pieces from the series. picked up during the first few years of this century when they were only high priced, would never be able to buy them today.

Christos, 20 years ago we did a deal on an amazing Godzilla piece, extending my thanks to you as the item still hangs on my home office wall. I wasn't kidding that it meant a lot to me. May all be well!

On 4/26/2020 at 2:52 PM, MAR1979 said:

Hello Matt, Hope you and CGC folks are well!

Seeking set creation, please, of:

Set:   Star Trek: The Enterprise Logs (1976)
Publication Dates:   1976 (Aug 1976 - Winter 1977)
Publisher:  Gold Key
Total Issues/Volumes: 4
CGC Census Link:  https://www.cgccomics.com/census/issues_bytitle.asp?title=Star+Trek%3a+The+Enterprise+Logs&publisher=Gold+Key

The 1st issue does not actually mention a volume number on cover nor in the interior and ofttimes is listed as NN, issues 2,3,4 all contain the volume nember

Thanks for all your efforts!

Set Created. Thank you

Thanks Matt!  Given these are rare almost 45 year old oversized books that Overstreet guide at $100, the point totals which are mere 25 or less seem extremely low. I feel a 9.4 should garner at least 200 and higher for 9.6 and above (non exist). Only 1 book in the entire series currently has been graded above 9.2 !  Highest graded in the entire series is a single 9.6.

No complaints, Glad to just have it listed and thanks again!

I have increased the point values but please note that I only found minimal auction results for #1 & #2 and none for #3 & #4 from our reputable source. The books may be rare but unfortunately,  so are the auction results.

XMAS in May!  Book was on the stands late Nov/Early Dec 1979 so I totally consider it Bronze.

Only placed a low bid to keep track of it, I never expected to actually win. Had auction been in Oct-Dec I likley never would have won.  It's now been re-united with some of its family from Vane's old DC Digest collection. Like most from Vanes old 9.8 collection it's 1/1, and in this case the only copy CGC has graded. I looked for one for nearly 2 decades that was decent all were in cat-toy type condition. Giving the material, target audience,  print run, and no direct sale (IIRC) of the issue it makes sense.

I've recently re-united some of Vane's DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest Digests with their siblings in my collection.  As small DC digests go, I'm a big fan.  Thanks again to Vane for all his efforts!

Great book!   Have fond memories as small child of the very day I purchased it

The Graded populations are on the high side.  Still, I do wonder if it was a Marvel book with same significance how much higher the $ amount of actual sales would be? 2x? 3x? 4x?

Perhaps if Raven,Cyborg and Starfire and The Titans were actually on the cover (the ultra tiny inside cover facsimile does not count) it would be more desirable?

Glad to have my 9.8 Newsstand even if its not worth anymore than it cost me 5 years ago!

On 5/1/2020 at 4:38 AM, lou_fine said:

Don't most of the comic book auction houses,with the notable exception of Heritage, have no BP juice added when you win a book?  

I know for sure that ComicConnect doesn't have a Buyer's Premium, although I do believe CL tacks on an additional 3% charge to the buyer if they use a credit card to make payment.  If you use a credit card for a CC winning (max is up to $2,500), the 3% credit card fee is charged to the consignor of the book, and not to the buyer.  

You are correct regarding ComicConnect . I'm used to trading cards where almost every Auction house charge additional 15-20% premium.  I believe the Comiclink 3% fee applies only if payment not received in 7 days.

Items I won on Monday shipped yesterday. I do know they had all mine in their possession from my phone convo on Tues, which means faster than Heritage to ship in this case.